NOVELL TECHNICAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT TITLE: Packet Burst Files for WAN Links DOCUMENT ID: TID014298 DOCUMENT REVISION: B DATE: 21JAN94 ALERT STATUS: Yellow INFORMATION TYPE: Symptom Solution README FOR: PBURST.EXE NOVELL PRODUCT and VERSION: NetWare 3.11 NetWare 3.12 NetWare 4.01 ABSTRACT: This file contains Packet Burst files that implement a new packet burst algorithm for WAN links. PBURST.NLM is for use on NetWare v3.11 file servers and PBWANFIX.NLM with patchman are for either the v3.12 or v4.01 NetWare O/S's. The packet burst files contained in this file need to be used with the v1.10 VLMs contained in DOSUPx.EXE to allow the new packet burst algorithm to function. Fixes saturation of WAN links with resent packets from a previous burst, that were already received at the other side of the WAN link. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 DISCLAIMER THE ORIGIN OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL TO NOVELL. NOVELL MAKES EVERY EFFORT WITHIN ITS MEANS TO VERIFY THIS INFORMATION. HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY. NOVELL MAKES NO EXPLICIT OR IMPLIED CLAIMS TO THE VALIDITY OF THIS INFORMATION. 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 SYMPTOM Saturation of WAN links with resent packets from a previous burst, that were already received at the other side of the WAN link. Disabling packet burst increases the throughput over WAN links. SOLUTION Apply PBURST.EXE Self-Extracting File Name: PBURST.EXE Revision: B Files Included Size Date Time \ PBURST.TXT (This File) PBURST.NLM 95752 11-04-93 4:32p APPNOTE.TXT 32917 11-16-93 2:19p \PBWANFIX.312\ PM312.DOC 3693 11-11-93 4:33p PM312.NLM 8909 11-11-93 11:52a PBWANFIX.NLM 1344 10-18-93 11:40a \PBWANFIX.401\ PM401.DOC 3682 11-08-93 2:47p PM401.NLM 8113 08-26-93 10:38a PBWANFIX.NLM 1291 10-18-93 11:39a Installation Instructions: Extracting this file will cause a PBWANFIX.312 and a PBWANFIX.401 directory and associated files to be created. For a file server v3.11 Operating system: 1) Copy PBURST.NLM to the SYS:SYSTEM directory, or the local drive on the file server. 2) At the console, type LOAD PBURST 3) Add LOAD PBURST.NLM to the file server's autoexec.ncf, to ensure that Packet Burst is loaded each time the server is re-booted. For a file server v3.12 Operating system: 1) Copy PM312.NLM and PBWANFIX.NLM from the PBWANFIX.312 directory in this zip file, to the SYS:SYSTEM directory, or the local drive on the file server. 2) At the console, first type LOAD PM312 3) At the console, then type LOAD PBWANFIX 4) Add LOAD PM312 and LOAD PBWANFIX to the file server's autoexec.ncf, to ensure that Packet Burst is loaded each time the server is re-booted. NOTE: This version of patchman for 3.12 cannot be loaded from the server's startup.ncf file. For a file server v4.01 Operating system: 1) Copy PM401.NLM and PBWANFIX.NLM from the PBWANFIX.401 directory in this zip file, to the SYS:SYSTEM directory, or the local drive on the file server. 2) At the console, first type LOAD PM401 3) At the console, then type LOAD PBWANFIX 4) Add LOAD PM401 and LOAD PBWANFIX to the file server's autoexec.ncf, to ensure that Packet Burst is loaded each time the server is re-booted. GENERAL INSTALL INFORMATION FOR PATCHMAN/PATCHES: Dynamic patches are loaded at the file server console as NetWare Loadable Modules and require PM401.NLM or PM312.NLM to be loaded. It is recommended that the command "LOAD " be placed in the server's AUTOEXEC.NCF file to ensure that the patch is always in effect when the server is initially brought up. Since they are NLM's, the patches can be loaded and unloaded without ever having to bring the server down. Once loaded, the Operating System is patched and ready to go. Unloading the patches will restore the Operating System to its original "un-patched" state. Installation: To install a specific patch or patches, simply place the patch file in the same directory as the other NLM files (SYS:SYSTEM or DOS partition), and type "LOAD " for each patch you wish to load. Once a patch has loaded, all changes are in effect until it is unloaded. If an error message appears, contact Novell Technical Support. As suggested above, you will probably want to enter the LOAD commands into your AUTOEXEC.NCF file to insure that the patches are loaded automatically. MODIFICATIONS INCLUDED WITH THESE FILES: Short write timeouts don't work well over WAN links, because the server doesn't have a good idea of the transport time. We now will prevent the server from asking for data that is currently in transit from the client. Also changed packet burst so that when it gets a duplicate read request, it will only reply with a short piece of the data, rather than replaying the whole burst - thus causing the client to ask for individual pieces with system packets (for the case where the initial packet was really dropped.) The benefit is when "read data" over a WAN link is already in route to the client, but the client hasn't seen it yet, we; 1) still get the data we have already sent, 2) we will not flood the line with unnecessary duplicate packets. Moving timeout algorithm has been removed. Timeouts now are based off the initial round trip time calculated as connect time. If the LIP echo socket is not supported on a server (i.e. 2.x NetWare, or 3.11 without PBURST loaded), a default of (MLID transport time * 4 + 10) ticks is used. Workstations connected to WANs may override this with a NET.CFG command "MINIMUM TIME TO NET" This is needed for bridged WAN/Satellite configurations where the time-to-net we get from the router is much too low. This NET.CFG parameter must be used in these configurations when the server on the other side of the link is NetWare v2.x, or NetWare 3.11 (without PBURST.NLM loaded) since these servers don't support the echo socket which we use to measure the actual time to net. This parameter may also be needed when using a link of 2400 baud or less. The parameter value is in milliseconds (a value of 1000 = 1 sec). ASSOCIATED NET.CFG PARAMETERS FOR THIS VERSION OF VLMs: PB BUFFERS = n (0-10) default=3 Note: 0 is disabled, non-zero is enabled. See APPNOTE.TXT pages 6 and 7 for an explanation of the changes to this parameter, and influence this parameter has on performance/memory. PBURST READ WINDOW SIZE = n (3-255) default=16 Note: See "Window Size in the VLMs" pages 8-10 in APPNOTE.TXT for an explanation of this parameter. PBURST WRITE WINDOW SIZE = n (3-255) default=10 Note: See "Window Size in the VLMs" pages 8-10 in APPNOTE.TXT for an explanation of this parameter. MINIMUM TIME TO NET = n (0-65535) Overrides the "time-to-net" value defined by the local router during connection time. This parameter is used for bridged WAN/Satellite links with "time-to-net" values set to low for workstations under the following conditions to make a connection: 1. The server on the other side of the link is a non-pburst 3.x or below server. 2. The transfer rate for the link is 2400 baud or less. Note: The value is set in milliseconds. i.e. MINIMUM TIME TO NET = 10000 would set the value to 10 seconds. If the w/s cannot make an initial connection, try increasing this parameter. In a packet bursting environment, the value will adjust back down after the initial connection, to a more optimal value. HOWEVER, if the workstation connects to a non-bursting server, this value stays at the value set in the net.cfg. If this value is artificially high, it may adversely affect performance. GENERAL The December 1993 "NetWare Application Notes" has an article covering VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) and Solution Specifics: PBURST.NLM 95,736 10-07-93 11:40 v2.02 NCP Packet Burst Support, Large Internet Packets And Packet Signatures. PBWANFIX.NLM 1,344 10-18-93 11:40 v1.00 312 patch to fix Packet Burst packet storms on WANs (931018) PM312.NLM 9,586 8-31-93 2:35 v1.10 Patch Manager for NetWare v3.12 (930831) PBWANFIX.NLM 1,291 10-18-93 11:39 v1.00 401 patch to fix Packet Burst packet storms on WANs (931018) PM401.NLM 8,113 8-26-93 10:38 v1.11 Patch Manager for NetWare v4.01 (930826) PBURST.TXT (This File) APPNOTE.TXT is a reprint of the November 1993 appnote comparing packet burst under the BNETX vs. VLM environments. Satellite delay influences on packet burst. �